GERD and Bad breath

I have GERD and I take the med for it . But I have been having a bad odor occasionally. I know is coming from my windpipe, not my throat or mouth. And it feels like I have something trapped in my windpipe occasionally just at the very base of my neck just at the collarbone to mid sternum . I cannot cough it up and I cannot wash it down. Is it food or could it be a cyst or tumor. Yet  I have no problem swallowing my food at all . . Thankyou

[Ratnakar Kini, MD]

Hi,
Bad breath could be due to poor oral hygiene, lung problem and GI issues.
The symptom that you have is called globus and is one of the less common symptoms of GERD ( though there are other causes as well for globus).

PPI and lifestyle modifications are helpful in relief of this symptom.